2013 Chrysler 300 Glacier Edition

Think of it as a 300S for style-conscious snowbelters.

Chrysler implemented a series of mild equipment changes to the 2013 300 lineup, but it also added a new, slick-looking all-wheel-drive model called the Glacier edition. Targeted at style-conscious buyers in snowbelt states, the Glacier edition packages all-wheel drive and a unique interior with many of the essential ingredients that set the urban-chic 300S apart from the rest of the 300 family.

Snowscape Looks, Cityscape Breeding

The 300 Glacier basically is a 300S with a few unique features to cater to cold-weather types. Like the 300S, the Glacier swaps some of its chrome trim for body-colored pieces, and the remaining trim is darkened for a subtly sinister touch. Specifically, the sedan’s headlights get black bezels, the mirror caps are painted black, the regular 300’s chrome grille is swapped for a “black chrome” unit, and it rides on dark-finished 19-inch wheels. And in case some buyers don’t think the standard Batman theme goes far enough, a black-painted roof panel is available as an option.

Despite all the dark-colored styling accents, the Glacier edition can only be had in three not-so-dark exterior colors: Bright White, Billet Silver Metallic, and Glacier-exclusive Glacier Blue Pearl. Inside, black is the only color choice—a few splashes of chrome break up the austere surroundings—although at least the darkness is offset slightly by a multitude of differing materials and textures. The seats feature leather-wrapped bolsters and denim-like cloth inserts; glossy piano-black trim adorns the instrument panel, the center console, the steering wheel, and the door-panel trim; and there’s even a few strips of matte carbon fiber–look trim on the dashboard.

A 300S With Two Additional Driven Wheels

Besides the 300S-like look, the 300 Glacier also gets 300S-like technical specs—only the key difference is that the Glacier comes standard with all-wheel drive. (Four driven wheels are a $2350 option on the 300S.) The Glacier can be had with either Chrysler’s 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine or a 5.7-liter Hemi V-8; the six is paired with an eight-speed automatic while the eight makes do with a five-cog slushbox. In either case, power is routed to all four wheels through a transfer case that can completely disconnect the front axles to improve fuel economy. Coolly, V-6 Glacier models come standard with a sport-exhaust system as well as a cold-air intake, which nets them 8 more horsepower (for a total of 300) than regular six-cylinder 300s. (2013 300S models equipped with the V-6 get the same intake and exhaust gear and corresponding power bump.) The 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 makes the same 363 hp here as it does in other 300-based applications.

The new 300 Glacier will appear in Chrysler showrooms this fall, just in time for the winter season. Pricing has not yet been announced, but figure on the Glacier’s starting price to fall somewhere between the $36,340 it costs to get into an all-wheel-drive 300S with the V-6 and the $39,340 all-wheel-drive 300C V-6.

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